Thursday, December 22, 2011

Balsamic and Onion Pot roast

Balsamic Pot Roast

Whenever we get a beef we go through the meat in a certain order, steaks are gone first, followed by the burger and stew meat, and lastly we always have roasts.  It isn't that we don't like a good roast, but rather that I don't have a lot of experience producing a roast that is moist and juicy and flavorful.  I don't want to waste a good cut of meat on experimenting, so I usually wait until there are no other choices left and then make the roasts.

When this happened recently, I turned to Pinterest for inspiration.  If you have not checked this site out I am urging you to do so very soon.  It is a plethora of ideas of ALL kinds, but my favorite are the food boards.  I found this recipe that someone pinned from Kalyn's Kitchen.  It is a slow cooker roast recipe that is moist, tender, and full of flavor.  I LOVE the depth of flavors created by the balsamic vinegar and beef broth along with the sweet roasted onions.  We served it with creamy mashed potatoes and green salad.  ENJOY!
Balsamic Pot Roast

Balsamic and Onion Pot Roast
Recipe Source: modified slightly from Kalyn's Kitchen

3-4 pound boneless chuck roast
Seasoning Salt
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
black pepper to taste
1-2 T olive oil (depends on your pan)
1/4 cup water to deglaze pan
2-3 large onions, peeled and thickly sliced
1 cup beef stock, reduced to 1/2 cup (can use a can of beef broth, but be sure to reduce it)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup tomato sauce


Rub meat well with seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Heat heavy pan with small amount of olive oil and brown roast well on both sides. This will take a few minutes; don't rush the browning step.

While roast browns put 1 cup beef stock in saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, then let cool slightly and mix in balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce. Peel onions and cut into thick slices.  

When the meat is brown on all sides, remove the meat and then deglaze pan with 1/4 cup water. Add the pan drippings to sauce mixture.

Place onions in bottom of slow cooker. Put meat on top of onions and pour beef stock mixture over. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until beef is tender. The meat might be partly submerged in liquid after this much time.

Remove meat from slow cooker and cover with foil to keep warm. Drain liquid from Crockpot and remove as much of the fat as you can with fat separator or skimmer. Cook down liquid by about 1/3, and serve sauce with meat and onions.

The leftovers make GREAT sandwiches!!


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90 comments:

  1. I have this ready to cook tomorrow. Can't wait to taste it! - Debbie

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  2. What do u do with the onion and garlic powder? Thanks.

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  3. The garlic and onion powder are part of the seasoning that is rubbed on the roast before searing it.

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  4. We just had this for dinner and it was FANTASTIC. I can't wait to try the leftovers sandwich tomorrow (perhaps using the beer bread I made to accompany it.) The sauce definitely sets this apart from your standard crock pot roasts.

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  5. The Mama-I'm so glad you enjoyed it! The leftovers make fabulous sandwiches both hot and cold.

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  6. Im soooo making this! Sounds delish and I love my slowcooker! Im a new follower, so glad I found you on Pinterest!

    allice

    tutulands.blogspot.com

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  7. I just spotted this on Pinterest and had to get the recipe; sounds wonderful; great blog.
    Rita

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  8. maybe i am a novice chef but what do you mean by reduce the beef broth? 1 cup reduce to 1/2 cup? whats that mean

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    1. Anonymous, to reduce the broth means that you allow a liquid boil uncovered until the amount you start with (1 cup) is 1/2 a cup. What happens is the liquid evaporates. Doing this step makes the flavors more intense which creates a richer flavor in the final product.

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  9. Instead of discarding your leftover broth, use it to make noodles. I always use this as a side whether I do a ham or a roast. Just simmer egg noodles in the broth until they are tender then eat up!

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    1. Great idea to serve the sauce with noodles. We always pour it over the top of the roast and onions then pair it all with mashed potatoes. I will have to try the noodles next time.

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  10. I've made this twice and added mushrooms! I shredd it when its done and serve on hard rolls as a french dip sandwich! My family loves it and it makes my house smell good!

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    1. Thanks for the mushroom suggestion! Yummy!

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    2. At what point do you add the mushrooms? I'm assuming you used thickly sliced, fresh?

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  11. This is one of my new favorites! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I have a question for you about buying a whole beef. If you wouldn't mind having a conversation offline, I would welcome your insight. Please email, if so. Thanks!

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    1. Real Ranch Wife I am so happy that you enjoyed this recipe, it is one of my family's favorites as well! I looked at your profile to email you as you asked but I don't see your address anywhere. If you would like to email me, my address is at the top of my blog on the right hand side :).

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  12. thank you - i've been stuck for ideas lately this sounds delicious

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  13. Made it today and it was delicious! I like a thick gravy-ish sauce, so I just added a little corn starch slurry to the sauce as it was reducing down at the end. Served with some mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus...Hubby was swooning!

    Thanks for the post (and for being on Pinterest)
    Angie
    everafteralways.blogspot.com

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  14. I made this today - soooo delicious. Can't wait for sandwiches tomorrow. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

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  15. This is the BEST recipe for a roast! The kids LOVE it and so does my husband, and HE is a tough customer ;) Thank you so much for sharing this!! I'll be sharing it with my friends for SURE!

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  17. I made this today and it was the best roast I have ever made! I would highly recommend it to anybody!

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  18. what does deglaze pan mean?

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    1. Deglazing means to add a liquid to a hot pan. Doing this will allow you to scrape all the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan which will add a delicious flavor to your final sauce.

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    2. I'm a little confused as well, which pan do you de-glaze? the pan you were browning the roast in or the pan you were making the sauce in?

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    3. You de-glaze the pan that you are browning the meat in. I just read the directions again and you are right, it is confusing. I have gone back and changed them a bit.

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  19. Cooking this right now and the way my house smells is making my mouth water like crazy. Thanks for sharing and posting this recipe. I hope the family will love this. Balsamic Vinegar is amazing. Do you have any other recipes with balsamic that you would recommend?

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  20. Making this right now! If it tastes half as good as my house smells right now, this will be a keeper! Thank you for the fantastic recipe! :)

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  21. making this for the 2nd time and am excited about it...super easy prep too which is a bonus.

    i used the left overs last time to make a "shepards pie"- shredded up the meat, added a bag of frozen peas & carrots, topped with the sauce, mashed potatoes and cheese...it was awesome and totally freezable!

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    1. What a great idea for the leftovers! I will be trying that next time we have this for dinner :) Thank you for sharing!

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  22. I've just bought a crock pot (never owned one before) and I will be trying this recipe next. Today I'm roasting a chicken for our dinner :)

    I cooked chuck roasts when I lived in Canada but over here in the UK they don't seem to sell that cut of meat (I really miss that cut as well...so economical and tender...great in casseroles).

    Would you know what cut of meat could replace chuck roast? I'll follow you on Pinterest too (and your blog)...looks very interesting and I love to cook.

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    1. Jacquie, I have found that in a crock pot many roasts are interchangeable. The low slow heat makes them all very tender. If you want a cut of meat that is similar to a chuck roast, I would recommend asking your butcher for a roast that has more fat in in that can hold up to long cooking times. Another name I have seen them called is an arm roast.

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  23. It's in my slow-cooker as we speak! I can't wait to taste it!

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    1. The verdict is in! My family says I am not allowed to make pot roast any other way! I substituted a fresh tomato and a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste for the tomato sauce. It turned out lovely.

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    2. Iris, I am glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed this roast. I will try your substitutions next time I make it!

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  24. Thank you so much for adding to my ever growing slow cooker recipes! I can't wait to try this recipe.

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  25. Made this last night, it was delish. Can't wait to make it again the only difference was I made it in a Dutch oven.....

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  26. I am making it now I was always taught that the meat needed to be covered in liquid and in this there is not enough liquid. Is that right?

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    1. When roasting meat in the oven, some recipes do call for a large amount of liquid. Cooking in a slow cooker does not require as much liquid; however, others have made this recipe as stated in the oven with a heavy covered pan and had great results.

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  27. I would love to try this recipe. It looks amazing! However, every recipe I've tried with balsamic vinegar tastes a little too vinegar for me and not the sweet flavor everyone talks about. Will the meat or gravy taste like vinegar and what brand of balsamic vinegar did you use?

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    1. There is a definite vinegar flavor in the finished product, but the key is in the reduction and use of a good quality balsamic. I typically use Kirkland brand from Costco for cooking because when it is reduced it is sweet; however, it isn't my favorite in dressings or for dipping bread in.

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  28. I just made this recipe and my roast is so hard! I'm not sure what happened, I have never had a roast turn out hard before in my crock pot :(

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    1. Sarah, I am not sure what could have happened. I have never had a roast turn out hard in my crockpot either. Is it hard on the outer most parts or all the way through? How long did you brown it before hand? The only thing I can think of is the crust that developed was really thick. I am sorry it wasn't a hit for you :(

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  29. Is there an alternative to garlic and onion powder? I do not keep them on hand and won't use them up - fresh minced garlic? and ?
    Also, don't have a crockpot so will cook in oven. What's the time equivalent between slow cookers and oven cooking?
    Thanks.

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    1. Rap, I am not sure of an alternative for dry garlic and onion powder. A hearty seasoning of salt and pepper along with fresh garlic should work, just be careful not to burn your garlic when browning the meat.

      In an oven, with a heavy pot covered with a lid, I would cook this at 325 for about 5-6 hours. Of course, begin checking it early because depending on the size of your roast, your oven, and the pan you use cooking times may vary.

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  30. This sounds great, and smells good already. Just put it in the crock pot. One question though ... could I add potatoes????

    Thanks for the recipe! I'm sure the whole family will like it!

    Wendy

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    1. Wendy I am sorry I didn't see this sooner. I am sure potatoes would be a great addition! Let me know if you tried it :)

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  31. If I have less time to cook this, do you think it would be as good if I put it on high for 3-4 hours? Would that be enough time?

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    1. I would think that would be fine, but without knowing how your crock pot works I can't say for sure. Mine cooks pretty hot so high heat with less time usually turns out great.

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  32. Tried this one last week it was really not the same old ho hum roast. Hubby even liked it and he just don't care for roast in crock pot but this is a redo for sure

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  33. Hi Jenn, I've recently become a major advocate of freeze ahead meals. Don't know why it took so long, with just two of us, and all the waste. Anyway, I'd heard that you lose a lot of quality when you freeze meat. Do you agree for this meal? I have it in crock pot now and it would easily serve us 2-3 times. Though about sandwiches This weekend, and the original leftovers next week. Your thoughts?
    Thanks!
    Kristi

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    1. Hello,

      I have found that freezing is a great option for many meals. This recipe does very well in the freezer, but it does need to be wrapped well and used within three months. Sandwiches are also a nice option as well.

      If you decide to freeze, I would recommend reheating at a very low heat so that the meat doesn't get dry.

      Best of luck!

      Jenn

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  34. I tried this today and was so happy with it. What hooked me was how you said you were never hapoy with your roasts. I have had success with some but they have never been up to my standards. TBH I think it has to do with the meat. I try to go organic if I can and that does seem to make a big difference as well. This was excellent!!! I cooked it in a cast iron pot in the oven at 275 for about 4.5 hours. I also added mushrooms in the last hour. I will make this again and again! Thought I would have enough for leftovers but we had a large crowd and it is all gone. I guess that's a good sign too!

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  35. My husband just returned from Colorado with a TON of Elk Meat! I'm printing this now to try next week with an elk roast....I'll let you know how it goes!

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    1. Cary definitely let me know how it tastes with elk. We have a freezer full of it too!

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  36. Hi there! I dont have a crockpot. Would i be okay to use a clay pot in the oven? If so, how long should i cook it for? Thanks!

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  37. Pravani, an oven would be fine. Clay pots are great to do this recipe in! In an oven, with a heavy pot covered with a lid, I would cook this at 325 for about 5-6 hours. Of course, begin checking it early because depending on the size of your roast, your oven, and the pan you use cooking times may vary.

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  38. Just put this in the crockpot and I don't know how it could be anything but delicious! Might add some baby bellas because ...yumm.

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    1. Angie I hope it was wonderful like mine always is. I'm sure for mushroom lovers the addition of the baby portabellas would be awesome!

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  39. I was thinking about making this roast, and after reading all these replies that are so positive, I KNOW I'm going to make it now!!

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  40. We use beer for all roasts here. Venison or elk we never use water, but start it one evening by putting it into the crock pot on low raw with onion soup mix and covered with beer. In the morning we add potatoes and carrots, then for supper we take them out and make gravy with the liquid for one great meal. No seasonings but the onion soup mix, and maybe another onion added with the veggies. Plenty of salt in the beer.. Always turns out great and falls apart for sandwiches. No work at all but unwrapping the roast and opening the onion soup and beer. Just how we do it here in WI.

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    1. I have used this method as well, but I always brown my meat first. It adds amazing flavor to the final product.

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  41. I used this fabulous recipe today. Wasn't cooking the way I wanted it to in the crockpot - probably because I added veggies a few hours in and cooled it off too much - so I moved it to the oven. It is ABSOLUTELY incredible!!! Incredible! Will never use another recipe for pot roast!

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    1. Amanda, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! It is definitely a favorite in my house!

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  42. So nice to find this recipe. I make a good roast now, but but didn't brown the meat with the rub. Plan to try this weekend.

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  43. oh MY this looks amazing!!! I am just like you with our meat lol :D I have a bunch of roasts sitting there waiting for me to come with something worthy of cooking them! ha! Totally gonna give this a try, thank you! And to top it off, it's sugar free! YAY!!! :D

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  44. This is such a delicious recipe – we made beef barley soup with the leftovers. This is our second time tackling the recipe and I'm pretty sure it's going to become a regular fave in our house. Thank you!

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  45. My neace sent me this Im going to make it this weekend. But dont no if I can wait that long
    lol I love a good pot roast this dose look good....going for the rest of the stuff today.

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  46. How in the world do you tell when the beef stock has reduced to 1/2 cup???? Help

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    1. Hi Mindy, I just keep an eye on the broth. I don't know that it is exactly half a cup, but I watch for it to get thicker and have less than I originally started with. I hope that helps!

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  47. I wanted to make this today. I thawed my roast out and everything. Then, this morning, someone had changed the setting on my computer and I couldn't find this post. Guess there will have to be another roast.

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    1. Medicmom, that is too bad! I hope you get a chance to try it in the future.

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  48. Made this today and am adding it to my favorites list! So delicious and moist! Hubby raved about it and we both can't wait to make sandwiches with the leftovers tomorrow! Thanks so much for posting!

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  49. I've made this 3 or 4 times now. Like you I avoided cooking beef roasts because I always overcooked them in my anxiety to ensure they were cooked through. Now this is my fail-proof way to cook roast beef. The only thing I do differently is that I throw a handful of sundried tomatoes into the slow cooker on top of the onions. The gravy is not distinctly tomato-ey but it does give it a richer, deeper flavour. And I agree about the sandwiches with the leftover meat being divine!

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  50. This is a favorite go to in the cool months. The last time I made it I saved the remaining sauce (onions and bits of meat too) and froze it like a base. I used it the other day by adding a little water and simmering it as a French onion soup!!! Topped it was Swiss and French bread broiled it and it was the BEST French onion soup I have ever had!! Oh and I love French onion soup! Thanks for a wonderful family favorite!!

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    1. I did the same thing except we had it with couscous. I add sundried tomatoes to the crockpot too and it gives it extra taste.

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  51. I've had this pinned on my pinterest for months, and when it came time to make it, I was excited. It turned out sooooo good! I didn't have any tomato sauce, so I just mixed paste and water with some sugar and seasoning. My pot roast was tender, but I like it when it falls apart, and mine didn't do that. Then again, I made it in the oven, because our crockpot cooks things too fast and it dries food out. But other than that, it was perfect! And the sauce is amazing! I'm a 17 year old girl who's never made a pot roast in her life, and this turned out amazing!

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  52. I just made this tonight after having it pinned on Pinterest for a long, long time. It is THE BEST roast I've ever made in my life. Thank you so much. All of my kids devoured it too. Wow. What a great recipe.

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  53. I have made this numerous times! It's amazing and my go-to when we have company. Because it always turns out well!! One question - I need to make it to take to a new mom and my time to make it is limited. Is it possible to brown the meat and reduce the broth the night before and then throw it all in the crockpot in the morning to save time, or would that not work? Thanks again!

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  54. The smells from this roast percolating in the crock pot right now are driving me crazy! Can't wait to eat, but I'd better, or that ol' pot roast will be too tough. Thanks for the recipe!

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  55. I made this last night for dinner and the whole family loved it! The onions were especially yummy. I doubled the liquid mixture because I wanted to be sure to have extra "gravy" but that was unnecessary, because now I have too much "gravy" and not enough left-over meat. Oh well, will still enjoy the left-overs for sure. Thanks very much for sharing, Jenn!

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  56. WHEW! Made this for company last week and it was better than G_R_E_A_T!!! Will make it again tomorrow for hubby and me.

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  57. This is by far THE BEST recipe I've ever used. I will make it again and again. Thanks for posting!

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  58. Just put it all into the crock pot. Can't wait!!

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  59. I made this recipe tonight for my family. It was AMAZING!!!! This is by far the best roast I've ever eaten. The family just loved it. I will always make it this way. The sauce is so flavorful. I made it in a Dutch oven and cooked it on 325 for 5 hours adding potatoes and carrots after 3.5 hours. Thank you so much for sharing this gem.

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  60. This is wonderful. I make it often

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  61. I have made this a handful of times and it is by far my favorite pot roast recipe. A few questions for you-Do you use a high or medium heat when browning? I have been using medium heat, but in your pictures, your roast looks much darker than mine and almost blackened. My roast doesn't get that dark before I feel like it's cooking too much in the pan. Also, do you brown all sides of the roast? or just the two big sides? Thanks for the great recipe?!

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    1. I'm sorry, Jodi that I didn't see your comment sooner. I brown the meat on a pretty high heat on all sides. I don't want to do anything other than seal in the juices so it is pretty fast. The best method I have found is to use cast iron, get it very hot, then put the roast in. It only takes a few minutes to do all the sides. :)

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  62. So nice to find this recipe. I make a good roast now, but didn't brown the meat with the rub. Plan to try this weekend. Thanks! for sharing.

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